Share this Page

Lallana: Dropped points not good enough; we must improve

Liverpool star Adam Lallana admits the players have to take full responsibility for another calamitous end to a match after Sunderland somehow clawed back an Anfield draw.

Cruising at 2-0 up with nine minutes to go after the England international’s fourth goal of the season had followed Roberto Firmino’s 59th-minute opener they contrived to throw away two points.

First Adam Johnson scored with a free-kick, which once again asked questions of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet who allowed the ball to sneak inside his near post, before Mamadou Sakho made the cardinal sin of allowing Jermain Defoe time to turn in the penalty area to fire home an 89th-minute equaliser.

Thousands of Liverpool fans were not there to witness the capitulation – like manager Jurgen Klopp who was rushed into hospital to have his appendix removed on the morning of the match – having staged the first walk-out in Anfield’s 132-year history in the 77th minute to protest at rising ticket prices, and they were probably thankful they missed yet more late despair.

“In any game, regardless of who you are playing, with 10 minutes to go it is very disappointing and we have only ourselves to blame,” said Lallana.

“We probably dropped too deep as a team and didn’t continue doing what we were doing in the second half to get the goals.

“We certainly didn’t want to be complacent and didn’t think we’d won the game [although] it probably looked that way to the fans.

“These things happen but we need to take full responsibility for that.”

Asked how they repair the damage Lallana told LFCTV: “It is simple – as working as hard as we have been working or even harder.

“We have another game Tuesday (an FA Cup fourth round replay at West Ham). As a player the best thing about a disappointing result is getting back on the pitch as soon as possible and putting things right.”